Item 3―Report on Results from the American Indian Education Center Survey

Presented by Niki Sandoval, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians

Sixteen of the 27 American Indian Education Centers (AIEC) have responded to the survey. Responding to the survey is not a mandate. Therefore, some AIECs may not have responded because the survey is not coming from the CDE. It may be possible that some of the AIECs may not have been able to participate in the survey and provide the information requested, due to having new directors—previous directors may have collected or organized the information differently, or collected different types of information. Also, the general AIEC funding that is available is in categorical flexibility. But it is still important for the AIECs to participate.

The survey results may be incorporated or presented in the American Indian Education Oversight Committee (AIEOC) Annual Report. It would not be necessary to identify the AIECs to which more specific information pertains, although AIECs with positive-outcome program results seem to be glad to share that information with others. Once it is presented to the AIEOC, it is public information.

The law requires that the CDE present a report to the legislature. If the AIECs closed, it would be devastating.

Laura Lee George—Asked for public comment.

Colleen Bruno—Thanked Niki, and commented on how great this survey is. This was presented to the Indian Action Council Board, and could be used for new AIEC directors to provide technical assistance.

Laura Lee George—Asked for a motion to submit the report to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Tom Torlakson, with a four-week window to allow notification to all 27 AIECs and allow them to respond. Kathleen Marshall seconded. All in favor.

The SSPI has responded to the advisory sent to him by the AIEOC with an expression of thanks for the advisory and appreciation for the work of the AIEOC. He stated that the CDE Legislative Affairs staff has on numerous occasions advocated removing AIEC funding from Flexibility, and that they will continue to advocate this. The SSPI acknowledged that the inclusion of AIEC funding in Flexibility is not allowing the AIEOC to do the oversight it wishes to do. If the AIEOC has additional questions, he asks that the AIEOC contact his advisor, Craig Cheslog.

Keric Ashley, new Division Director of Analysis, Measurement, and Accountability Reporting Division, and former Division Director of Education Data Management Division (organizational location of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System [CALPADS]) and Randy Bonnell, Education Administrator I of the CALPADS/California Basic Educational Data System County-District-School Operations Office, gave an update on CALPADS. Suspension and expulsion data has now been collected through the CALPADS for the first time (for 2011–12 data). There are quite a few groups that would like access to the CALPADS data. In general, the CDE can release only aggregate student data (data that is not specific to any individual students). Only the school district to which an individual student belongs may access the data for that individual student. The CDE does have a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate with the Department of Social Services on data such as which students are eligible for reduced price lunch, etc. Also, the CDE has regular meetings with higher education representatives to discuss CALPADS data sharing. The Federal government determines the ethnicity categories. It is helpful that the Native American data is now being collected.

The Tobacco-Use Prevention Education Program (TUPE) funding comes through the Department of Health Services. Most of it goes to local educational agencies to administer. For this five-year cycle there is $300,000 available for AIEC use. Eight applications were submitted and five were approved to receive the TUPE funding. The names of those TUPE grant awardees are currently in the standard CDE approval process for posting any new information on the CDE Web site; they will be posted once the routine approval process is complete. Once posted, the five-day appeal process begins.

The investigation on the AIECs is still ongoing, and no decisions have been made since the last AIEOC meeting.

Item 5―Committee Business

Laura Lee George—Asked for a motion to approve November 14, 2012, meeting minutes with a proposed change. André Cramblit moved to approve the minutes with the change. Helen Doherty seconded. All in favor, none opposed, the motion was approved with one abstention.

André Cramblit has an outline drafted for the AIEOC Annual Report and will now include information from the report on the results from the American Indian Education Center Survey discussed above. The working draft will be sent to all of the AIEOC members before the March AIEOC meeting.

Nomination and election of AIEOC Chair and Vice Chair in accordance with the AIEOC bylaws (This election is held in the first AIEOC meeting of the year, as confirmed by AIEOC Parliamentarian André Cramblit; and the bylaws state that the Chair can choose to elect the Parliamentarian.).

DeborahDeForge—Made a nomination for Laura Lee George as the AIEOC Chair. Amber Machamer seconded. All in favor.

Helen Doherty—Made a nomination for Amber Machamer as the AIEOC Vice Chair. Rachel McBride seconded. All in favor.

The nominations were accepted by acclamation. All in favor, no opposed, no abstentions.

Laura Lee George—Asked André Cramblit if he would accept another year as parliamentarian. André Cramblit accepted.

Rachel McBride gave a brief history of the Annual California Conference on American Indian Education. About eight years ago, the conference was hosted by the CDE with help from the AIECs. As time went on, it became easier for the AIECs to host the conference and for the CDE to endorse it and provide technical assistance. As conference hosts, it was easier for the AIECs to include certain important portions of the conference such as honoring the elders. So the collaboration between the AIECs and the CDE continued to develop. Then other community entities were included in the conference to include additional presentations. Conference locations are now rotated between the southern, central, and northern, parts of California. Next year the conference will be in Bakersfield. The conference does not receive a lot of sponsorship in terms of money and does not ever make a profit. Budgets are tight, so the conference organizers are glad to be able to provide the conference at all. André Cramblit added that in the 1980s or early 1990s, there were actually three different conferences―one hosted by the California Indian Education Association (CIEA), one hosted by the AIEC directors, and one hosted by other groups. (The 36th Annual California Conference on American Indian Education, “Native Roots: Past, Present, and Future” will be held March 17–19, 2013, at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort by Hilton, in Santa Barbara, California.)

The Region IX Equity Assistance Center (EAC) at WestEd is one of 10 EACs funded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide technical assistance and training in the areas of civil rights, equity, and school reform. Serving schools and communities in Arizona, California, and Nevada, the Region IX EAC at WestEd ensures that equitable education opportunities are available and accessible for all children. The Region IX EAC works with schools, LEAs, local school boards, state education agencies, other responsible government agencies, parents, and community-based organizations in Arizona, California, and Nevada.

Closing the achievement gap remains a continuing concern throughout the country, as indicated by correlations between results of the annual Standardized Testing and Reporting and results of the California Healthy Kids Survey, a comprehensive youth self-report data collection system that addresses school climate, health risks and behaviors, and youth resiliency. The Region IX EAC at WestEd is going to be working with school districts to address engagement, safety, and support for students, including American Indian students. Another important development is that there is now a Director of Indian Education. Priorities for supporting American Indian education include dropout prevention and intervention, special support for Indian boys, ensuring that discipline rather than harsh punishment becomes the norm, special education needs, and communicating about and supporting the rights and education engagement of American Indian parents as well as students. The Region IX EAC would like to provide a series of Webinars to cover these topics, as well as a presentation at the 36th Annual California Conference on American Indian Education in March.

In regard to Indian males and academic achievement, not all students want to go on to higher education, or are able to do so, under existing circumstances. Job experience is also needed. Rose Owens-West co-authored Multiple Pathways (now mentioned with linked learning), which emphasizes the idea of strengthening high school programs that expose kids to options in the world of work, and career exploration starting at the elementary school level and particularly including Indian students, students of color, and girls. In linked learning work to redesign high school in California, efforts are continuing to develop ways that students can be given strong academic education plus strong “career technical education” so they have job experience, even if it is on-campus. This concept has a lot of support in the California Assembly, and there is a lot of work going on around that. Students need to be well-prepared for success in life. The Irvine Foundation has a lot of funding behind that effort, which has been going on for four or five years. Also, while kids are in high school, they can enroll in community colleges to get more exposure and experience in these areas.

In regard to the issue of harassment of Indian children in schools, the Region IX EAC has been involved with centers across the west to disseminate education about the value of Indian education and to support the schools in providing it. The spiritual dimension of Indian education should not and must not be ignored.

The Region IX EAC would like to improve the level of participation in the Pathways Conference, which focuses on housing, health, education, and employment. More information can be found at WestEd.

Laura Lee George—Asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Helen Doherty moved to adjourn the meeting. Rachel McBride seconded. All in favor.